Uganda Blocks 21 More Truck Drivers as 15 Ugandans Test Positive for COVID-19

Fifteen (15) new cases of Coronavirus disease have been recorded in the country, bringing Uganda’s count to 160 nationals.

The new cases were part of the 2,729 samples that were tested for COVID-19 from the border points by the Uganda Virus Research Institute.

Ten of the reported 15 cases are Ugandan truck drivers who entered the country through the Elegu point of entry in Northern Uganda while five others were from the community.

According to the Ministry of Health, all the community cases were contacts of positive cases, mostly truck drivers. They had been quarantined earlier.

"Today (Thursday), 21 May, 2020, 15 new COVID-19 cases confirmed bringing the total confirmed cases to 160. All new cases are Ugandans: 10 cases are truck drivers who arrived via Elegu while 5 cases are among community samples. All community cases were under quarantine at the time of test," The Minister of Health, Jane Ruth Aceng tweeted. 

The government also blocked the entry of 21 truck drivers who tested positive at different points of entry. This brings the number of drivers handed over since the week begun to 145. Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health says that the drivers are being handed over in line with a presidential directive.

"The president made a directive that only truck drivers who test negative would enter the country.  Drivers who test positive are handed over to their county of origin for treatment," Dr Aceng said.

The president's directive to only allow negative truck drivers was this morning followed with a reduction in COVID-19 cases. Earlier today, Uganda revised it's cases from 274 confirmed cases to 145, after dropping all foreign cases from its records.